Blog Touring

So there is this thing called a Blog Tour.

It’s kinda fun, because someone answers a few questions and then tags 3 people to answer the same questions, then they tag three and they tag three and all of our collective heads spin. It’s also genius in that it is a very specific blog post, for those of us who might be a little stuck or slow or…..look, a kitty!

It’s also stealth, we’re not supposed to ask the people we tag. Again, genius, because it’s hard to ask people to do things, right? Especially with the fear of chain letters (I wonder what the consequence of breaking the blog chain would be? You will never have a cogent thought again? Your fingers will fall off and render you unable to type? ) Well, good for us there are no dire consequences for NOT joining in, no specific amount of time we are supposed to reply by, nor, sadly, any cash or prizes for completing the task.

BUT! there is good news! Because things like this introduce us to different people who might not be on our radar at this point. We can spend (even more) time on the computer reading posts that might amuse us or make us think or might even make us a new friend. That’s a good prize for sure.

I was asked on the bus by Kristen at ByeByeBeer. She is a wonderful writer (even blogging for TheFix.com these days with no sign of swelled head!) and always has a unique way of getting her point across. Smart and funny and sober…I like that in an imaginary friend! She writes about many different things, although she started as a sober blogger and runner, and I am always excited when her lovely face appears in my inbox.

I am pinging back to her post on this, well, a soon as I can figure out how to do that. (And I am keeping this comment up even after I ping back in order to show you the learning curve, the WORK, I have had to do to join this tour)

I like a little drama…so sue me!

Here are the questions”

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

First, let me state that I think this tour originally started with more serious writers than I, the rest of the questions kind of prove my point (and my answers will pound that point home!)

AHEM… At the moment I am working on this post and a decision about what I want for dinner tonite.

I really love to write and am so happy to have started this blog, it’s a great outlet for me. But I am one of those people that, at least in the writing department, really go with the flow. So, in terms of writing I am either working on a blog post or not. No novels. No articles. I work on responses to other blogs too (but never very hard). What’s on my mind is on the blog, or not. I also have a ton of half finished posts on my dashboard, or finished ones that aren’t meant to be shared…you know. My blog as a kind of journal. There you go.

How does my work differ from others of it’s genre?

I don’t think I have a genre. I write about sobriety but it’s not really a sober blog. I write about grief but it’s not a grief blog. Lately I write about mindfulness, meditation and yoga, but that’s because that is what I am enthralled with at the moment. I did a 25 songs in 25 days challenge, which was a blast. I write stories about my life that I would like to be able to translate into spoken word pieces.

This is also a “secret” blog. I do link to twitter, but I always forget and my twitter account is secret too (even from me). There is nothing google-able linked to me in real life and this blog. Because of that safety net, this blog is SO the real me, much more than most people ever get to see. That also seems to proves the point that I don’t have any real plans for my writing other than doing what I do now. However, never say never.

I am genre-less . I am not very promotable. It’s all good.

WHY DO I WRITE/CREATE WHAT I DO?

I need to.

That wasn’t the case when I first started. It was a crazy idea “hey kids, let’s put on a blog!”. This isn’t actually my first blog. I started one a few years ago…same name although it was” Mished-up…with a sexy little drunken slur”. (YES Really!). I wrote there a bit of an evening, usually isolating and a few drinks in. I brought a little over to this new blog, then deleted it all because, well.

So what do I write and create? I guess I am a memoirist, yes? (That may be my genre..maybe I have a genre!) I write about me; I write what I know. I write the truth, at least how it is in that moment. I’d love to take a stab at some fiction, some writing prompts, some poetry and yet it never seems to happen.

HOW DOES MY WRITING/CREATING PROCESS WORK?

Very well, thank you for asking!

I think I write when I have to say something. A lot of the time it is just for myself, but I think it might be vaguely interesting to others. Now that I am owning the genre of “memoir”, I write about me, past,and present. I try and stay out of the future, because that would just be a guess.

Very few of my posts take days to write. When I am ready to write I generally sit down and do it, not a lot of muss or fuss. This post is happening because I got tagged today. I had time to sit down earlier today and started. Now I am back at it. When I did the 25 songs in 25 days I had a few started at a time, but, in general, I sit down and just write. Sometimes something I am reading propels me to the computer. Other times I have been stewing on something for a couple of days, processing, and then I just sit down and spew it out. So that’s my creative process…spewing! Nice. (oh, and it is August 4rd and I started this on July 30, which kind of ruins my spur of the moment comment. I’ve been busy and I have been trying to figure out how to link to other posts. Plus ping back? no idea)

As far as writing rules, I always wait an hour or two before pushing publish, just to get a little distance. I have to re-read several times because the amount of typos that I make in a first draft are pretty epic. And auto-correct makes it even crazier. I also MUST edit. I definitely over-write. I tend to over-talk too, so that’s part of me. I admire Kristen so for coming in around 800 words. I’m at 1173 right now and I haven’t even tagged anyone yet. I also haven’t edited yet. I will edit, however it will still be too long.

Ok, the linking part. here I am a little unsure of the protocol; I think I am supposed to link to a particular favorite post and say something about it. But this is already 47,000 words too long

First there is Sassy. You all should know and read Sassy. She is a truth teller, a yogi, a runner, a wonderful writer, a business owner, a memoirist like me (I am enjoying the idea of a genre!). That description is ludicrously simplistic but it’s all I got. I started to blog because I have been reading hers for years. I LOVE her! She is creating big changes and it is amazing to watch. This IS Writing For The Soul.

Next there is John. Very new to the sober blogging community, newly sober actually. He writes wonderful, funny posts that are full of truth. This can be hard work, especially early on. You might as well laugh! He’s the guy to make you. Here’s The Six Year Hangover

And last..hmmmmm. Here is a blog that I read when I first got sober. The woman whose blog it is has left it up, but it is essentially a long dormant blog. However, it helped me SO much. I had trouble with the steps and a HP, and she wrote so beautifully, from the same place. My favorite quote is somewhere in there…”First the gesture then the grace”. She is now the owner of a yoga studio in Minnesota, her life has changed drastically. But her writing is so beautiful and was so helpful to me. Now I am reading all of her yoga posts, and including one here. When you visit there is a little menu tab at the top right…that will bring you to different parts of her blog. Just read it, it will get under your skin…SHE will. This is Whiskey And Porn For Everyone

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11 Comments

Hi Michele!
I became “grouperly” excited when I saw that Kristen tagged you for this. First of all, I loved hearing about this writer side of you, belly laughed at your feisty side and am stoked to read all three of the writers you tagged–I don’t know any of them and it’s such a treat to find new people to read…especially favorites of my favorites. xo
(pssst! Love Tara and Pema)

To tag (or ping) someone, all you have to do is include a link to one of the posts or pages. (That’s why you’ve seen me ping your About page sometimes.) It won’t work if you just do their main web address, you have to actually pick a post or a page. 😉

OR… you can go to their webpage and leave them a comment somewhere with a link back to this post. 😉

In full disclosure, Paul did ask me if I was okay with being tagged. I decided to make it a surprise because I am lazy and was afraid you’d say no, which I do feel bad about but it resulted in three lovely posts and further lovely tags. I’m really glad you answered the questions. I’m really impressed that you wait an hour or two before hitting publish. I liked learning you had a prior blog because I had one too (also now defunct). Loved this glimpse into the mind of a long-time favorite blogger. Going on to check out your tags. Thanks!